PNC Licensing Examination Foundations and Fundamentals of Nursing Syllabus

What does the documentation principle 'If it wasn't documented, it wasn't done' mean?

Legally and professionally, only documented care is considered to have been provided; accurate, timely charting is the official record and legal proof of care given.

List key characteristics of effective nursing documentation.

Accurate, factual, complete, current/timely, organized, legible, and confidential; uses objective language and approved abbreviations.

What does the SBAR communication tool stand for, and when is it used?

Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation. It is a structured handoff/reporting tool used during shift change and when communicating patient status to physicians/colleagues.

List the four main (cardinal) vital signs.

Temperature, Pulse, Respiration, and Blood Pressure (pain is often called the 'fifth vital sign').

What is the normal adult body temperature range, and the average oral value?

Normal range about 36.5-37.5 C (97.7-99.5 F); average oral temperature is 37 C (98.6 F).

What is the normal resting heart rate (pulse) for an adult?

60-100 beats per minute.

What is the normal respiratory rate for a healthy adult at rest?

12-20 breaths per minute.

What is the normal adult blood pressure value, and how is hypertension defined?

Normal is about 120/80 mmHg. Hypertension is generally defined as a sustained BP at or above 140/90 mmHg (or 130/80 by some newer guidelines).

Name the most common pulse site used to check circulation in an emergency in adults versus infants.

Adults: carotid artery. Infants: brachial artery.

Define tachycardia and bradycardia.

Tachycardia is a heart rate above 100 bpm; bradycardia is a heart rate below 60 bpm in an adult.

What is the purpose of personal hygiene care provided by nurses, and name common types of bed baths?

To maintain skin integrity, prevent infection, promote comfort and circulation, and support self-esteem. Types include complete bed bath, partial bed bath, and assisted/self bath.

What is the recommended position to prevent pressure ulcers, and how often should an immobile patient be repositioned?

Reposition the patient at least every 2 hours; use frequent position changes and pressure-relieving devices to redistribute pressure over bony prominences.

Define Fowler's position and state its main clinical use.

A semi-sitting position with the head of the bed elevated 45-60 degrees. Used to ease breathing (respiratory/cardiac patients) and facilitate eating.

Describe the Sims' (lateral recumbent) position and a common use.

A semi-prone side-lying position with the lower arm behind the body and upper knee flexed. Used for enemas, rectal examinations, and for unconscious patients to aid drainage of secretions.

State the key principles of correct body mechanics when lifting a patient.

Maintain a wide base of support, bend the knees (not the back), keep the load close to the body, use large leg muscles, keep the back straight, and avoid twisting; push or pull rather than lift when possible.

What is the correct procedure for collecting a clean-catch (midstream) urine specimen?

Clean the perineum/meatus with antiseptic, have the patient begin voiding into the toilet, then collect the midstream portion in a sterile container without touching the inside, and avoid the first and last urine flow.

List the six links in the chain of infection.

1) Infectious agent, 2) Reservoir, 3) Portal of exit, 4) Mode of transmission, 5) Portal of entry, 6) Susceptible host.

Differentiate medical asepsis from surgical asepsis.

Medical asepsis (clean technique) reduces the number and spread of microorganisms (e.g., handwashing). Surgical asepsis (sterile technique) eliminates all microorganisms, including spores, from an object or area (e.g., during invasive procedures).

According to the WHO, what are the 'Five Moments for Hand Hygiene'?

1) Before touching a patient, 2) Before a clean/aseptic procedure, 3) After body fluid exposure risk, 4) After touching a patient, 5) After touching patient surroundings.

What is the recommended duration for handwashing with soap and water?

At least 20-40 seconds (WHO recommends 40-60 seconds for the full technique); alcohol-based hand rub takes about 20-30 seconds.

Define 'standard precautions' in infection control.

A set of infection-prevention practices applied to ALL patients regardless of diagnosis, treating all blood, body fluids, secretions, non-intact skin, and mucous membranes as potentially infectious (includes hand hygiene, PPE, safe injection practices).

Differentiate sterilization from disinfection.

Sterilization destroys ALL microorganisms including bacterial spores; disinfection eliminates most pathogenic microorganisms but not necessarily all spores, and is used on inanimate surfaces/objects.

Name the most common method of sterilization using moist heat and its standard parameters.

Autoclaving (steam under pressure): typically 121 C at 15 psi for 15-20 minutes, or 134 C for ~3-4 minutes.

Classify the levels of disinfectants (Spaulding classification).

High-level (kills all microbes except high numbers of spores - for semi-critical items), Intermediate-level (kills mycobacteria, most viruses/bacteria), and Low-level (kills most bacteria, some viruses/fungi - for non-critical items).

Differentiate airborne, droplet, and contact transmission-based isolation precautions with an example disease for each.

Airborne (small particles, e.g., tuberculosis, measles - requires N95/negative-pressure room); Droplet (large respiratory droplets, e.g., influenza, meningitis - requires surgical mask); Contact (direct/indirect touch, e.g., MRSA, C. difficile - requires gown and gloves).

What is the correct sequence for DONNING (putting on) personal protective equipment (PPE)?

Gown, then mask/respirator, then goggles/face shield, then gloves.

What is the correct sequence for DOFFING (removing) PPE?

Gloves, then goggles/face shield, then gown, then mask/respirator; perform hand hygiene after removal.

Differentiate open-ended from closed-ended questions in a nursing interview.

Open-ended questions invite a detailed narrative response (e.g., 'How are you feeling today?') and encourage elaboration; closed-ended questions elicit a brief, specific 'yes/no' or one-word answer (e.g., 'Do you have pain?').

Name the four fundamental techniques of physical examination in their usual order.

Inspection, Palpation, Percussion, and Auscultation. (Exception: for abdominal exams, auscultation is done before palpation/percussion to avoid altering bowel sounds.)

What does the OPQRST mnemonic assess during history taking of a symptom such as pain?

Onset, Provocation/Palliation, Quality, Region/Radiation, Severity, and Timing of the symptom.